Original Research Article
The Association of Serum Iron, Zinc, and Copper Levels with
Preeclampsia
Haydar Hashim Al-Shalah Nadia Mudher Al-Hilli Mohammed Abbas Hasan*
College of Medicine, University of Babylon, Hilla, IRAQ
*E-mail:m.alfatimi@yahoo.com
Accepted 11 October , 2015
Abstract
Preeclampsia is defined as hypertension associated with proteinuria arise for the first time after the 20th week
of gestation in a previously normotensive woman & resolve completely by the 6th postpartum week. In the
present study trace and ultratrace elements iron, zinc, and copper were estimated to know the role of them in
pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia. Case control study included 120 women, sixty of them were patients diagnosed
with preeclampsia in the third trimester and the other sixty were healthy pregnant women (controls) in the third
trimester. Serum levels of copper was measured by using graphite furnace atomic absorption
spectrophotometer technique. While total serum iron and zinc concentrations were measured by using
spectrophotometric method. The results were expressed as mean ± standard error of mean. A P value of < 0.01
was considered to be statistically significant. The levels of serum zinc and copper were significantly lower in
patients with pre-eclampsia compared to control groups. While the concentration of total serum iron was
significantly higher in patients with pre-eclampsia compared to control group. As conclusion, alteration in the
serum levels of trace and ultratrace elements could contribute to the pathogenesis of PE.
Key words: Pre-eclampsia, Iron, Zinc, Copper, Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption
Spstrophotometry.